Here we get one of the many mentions of rejoicing or joy. Paul is filled with joy because he knows the purposes of Christ are being fulfilled. This is the path to a joy. We need to stop being self-centered and become more Christ-centered. Jesus said that if we lose our lives we will find them.
In order for these good things to happen Paul knew he needed prayers and the help of God's Spirit. he also was not proud, continuing to pray for God to enable him to have the courage that he needed.
Paul lived his life for Christ, and Christ gave him the motivation and the energy to live. If he died, then that would be gain for Paul, for he would then be with Christ forever. Death had no fear for him. In Christ we are set free from the fear of death. Death is something that all of us have to face, but because of the resurrection death has lost its sting.
Yet this most definitely does not mean we have a death wish! We are to live, seeking to play our part in fulfilling the great commission. Paul knows that God's purposes would be fulfilled. It is worth noting that Paul would actually die within a year or so of writing this letter. This may cause some problems to some people, wondering why Paul got this "wrong". We should not let this trouble us, instead we should recognise the limitations of our knowledge. God tells us everything we need to know, and beyond this we need not worry.
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